THE POULTRY YARD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 590, 16 February 1929, Page 28

THE POULTRY YARD

(By

GEO. H. AMBLER.)

MONGREL V. PUREBRED STOCK TO be successful in building up a good flock of birds a poultry-keeper must first realise the importance of strain. There are good and bad strains in nearly every breed. Then he must be prepared to devote time and energy and use his best experience in the selection of birds likely to breed desirable chickens. If lie will exercise judgment in selection and adhere rigidly to type there can be no doubt that his efforts will meet with a good measure of success. To ignore type in selecting breeding stock is a great mistake, as it is very easy for the best stock to degenerate into something little better than mongrels, and if this occurs there is generally a disappointment in the egg yield or in the quality of flesh if table poidtry is being followed.

It Is often stated that crossbred fowls give quite as good, if not better, results than pure breeds. That is not my experience, and such cases are very rare indeed. One is safer in starting with purebred stock, and keeping to it whatever the breed or variety may tie. Of course, there is a big difference between a first cross and a real mongrel, but once a bird is crossed there is a danger of the whole stock becoming mongrel. The recognised crossbred fowl is the one crossed between two pure breeds, and when this is done there is a definite aim in view. For instance, it may be purely for table purposes. A mongrel, however, is a bird containing the blood of more than two distinct (or indistinct) breeds, where there has been no special object in breeding, such as is found in the barn door fowl. To obtain a first cross poultrykeepers must have two pure breeds, and should any readers find it difficult to believe in purebred stock, they should not be led away in buyiug first crosses unless they know the conditions under which they are bred. I mention this because i have heard of cases recently where people have I bought first crosses, and afterwards j had just cause to doubt their purchases. A mongrel bird will doubt- I less show markings of oue of her an- : cestors. and the unscrupulous dealer | will call it a first cross of that breed, j To produce high-class utility stock, 1 the same care in breeding is necessary ■ as is shown in the breeding of exhibi-.i tiou stock. It is a mistake to suppose 1 any haphazard method will do. Fecundity, which sums up the ability j to turn out eggs in profitable numbers, is in itself one of the most difficult j characteristics to fix. and carries witlt I it a whole host of minor difficulties in the way of vigour, stamina and growth. In the selection of a breeding pen, con- i siderable care is necessary, and it is impossible to bestow too much trouble lin this direction. Ore of the fascinations of poultry- ; reeding is the mating up of pens to j

produce progeny with certain fixed characteristics, or developing fresh traits either of character or appearance in existing breeds. The appeal of home production will always find a ready response in poultry enthusiasts, and the development of new breeds is not only fascinating, but is often associated with considerable profit. SUMMER SHELTERS Fowls need shelter the year through. In winter we must shelter them from ! cold, and, if we wish them to do their j best, give them all the sunshine there jis during the short days. In summer i we must, for the same reason, shelter j them from the fervid heat of our long ! summer days. I ometimes think that j it is easier to give our birds adequate I protection in winter than in summer. ' We can, without too much trouble, } provide houses in which they will be comfortau warm, and at the same i time get all the beuefit of direct sunshine, but in summer there are many days when the heat of the sun is allpervading. So far as getting the greatest beuefit from cbe vitalising influence of direct sunshine is concerned, j the chickens will get a. they need in j the morning and evening, and we do ! not seek for these benefits during the i heat of the day. An orchard is an ideal place for a i flock of fowls during the summer, j They can find cool shade under the 1 trees during the day, and a comfort- ; able and natural place to sleep in the j trees during the uight. In fact, any shady grove is a good place to keep : fowls during the summer. Those of us who live in places where orchards are not convenient for fowlj runs, must seek other means of secur- ! ing comfort for our growing chickens during the hot summer days. Even a run overgrown with weeds is better than anificial shade, unless paius are taken to make it effectual. This year ; I have left undug a piece of land that I I have been using for garden purposes, so my growing chicks may find a cool j place in which to stay during the day. !

One flock of my chickens uses this for a resting place. They are kept in their house and a limited run attached to it until nearly noon. To coniine birds t.o the house at night is no hardship in the Auckland district, as our nights are nearly always cool. When the chicks are given their second feed for the day they are turned into the weed and lucerne run, and within two minutes they have disappeared, not one being visible. They stay there until they get hungry about four o’clock when they come out and begin to look for me. After they get their feed they begin to range about and pick up such bits of natural feed as they can find among the grass and lucerne. The weed patch is an eyesore to me, but to the chicks it is a delight. Where it is not safe to allow eliicks to roost in trees a simple roof supported by posts and a protective chicken netting wall around the space enclosed by the posts makes a first-class sleeping place. Put the perches up near the roof, and do not worry about night rains. A summer shower hurts neither chickens nor men. THINK OF THE CONSUMER There is one great fault made by the majority of utility poultry-keepers. They think a lot about their own end of the business, but seldom think of the consumer’s end. Our advice is, think of the people who 'have to eat your eggs. Suppose a family of children have boiled eggs, what sort of argument starts up if Billy has a smaller egg than Mary? What sort of a shock does an invalid get who opens up an egg laid by your hens which is bad or lacks flavour, or that has too strong a flavour? What does the average man feel about the egg that is stained on the shell? Of course, such an egg can be used for cooking, but the odd time it is served up hard or softboiled means another consumer who doesn’t care for eggs, thank you! And thus the consumption of eggs is retarded instead of being promoted. FRESH AIR Fowls at this time of the year, and at all times, require plenty of fresh air, and the sleeping houses should be well ventilated, but without there being any sign of draughts. If on opening the door of the sleeping house in the morning the air seems stuffy, then the ventilation is bad. The air should circulate through the house well above the heads of the birds. It is fur better to have fewer fowls and give them proper attention tbau to have hundreds and neglect them. The size of the flock will govern the size of the house. Fowls should have ail abundance of green feed during the hot weather.